MNHQ: I'd like to start a thread about the reality of phalloplasty without it being deleted

[BarrackerBarmer]

MNHQ has already deleted one thread "not in the spirit".

Fair enough.

Please lay out exactly how I can start a thread about phalloplasty, with images (of arms, not of penises).
This is important. Thousands of girls are identifying as boys, and the medical pathway for those girls includes breastbinding, double mastectomies, hysterectomies and phalloplasties.

Guidance from many institutions is unquestioning affirmation.

I want to discuss this. Truthfully.

Tell me how I can do this without MNHQ deleting my thread and I will follow your rules to the letter.

Or tell the thousands of women on this site that we are forbidden from discussing the outcome of SRS for girls entirely.

What are your rules please?

@GoingThruTheMotions

Hope your surgery goes well Alex and wishing you a speedy recovery (and a NHS team that will sneak in lots of goodies after your operation!) Thanks for sharing your experience.

Thanks for such lovely wishes @GoingThruTheMotions, The NHS and their staff have always been wow, and always aware of my issues, .. the surgeon is very good, and has already been thru the "options"...

daft, as never wanted the options, very ware many women pay daft money for "labiaplasty" , have labia, but a tad messy to be honest.

just wary that they must not remove too much! as away full coverage is required to protect from infection. have had a life of "ambiguous" genitalia, a bit of both.. that element will go in this op. strange world.

Thanks Alex. What you say about endocrinologists being involved makes perfect sense. Unfortunately we have to put our trust in health care professionals and often find out too late there is conflicting advice or we weren’t given the choice of an alternative or the best option. It happens all the time in all areas of medicine. It happened to me, it’s happened to many people. It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that it happens in the area of trans medicine... and we have all heard the Tavistock/ GIDS reports. Unfortunately I agree there will be many more detransitioners.

I am glad that you’ve found happiness and have a caring partner.

Go well and good luck @Alex2112 xx

Thanks for your further posts @Alex2112 and sorry to imply you didn't have a health need for your surgeries, I apologise I got the wrong end of the stick. And you say you're not brave, but I beg to differ on that!

Re: involvement of endocrinologists. My mouth is actually agape. I truly assumed anyone even seriously considering physically transitioning was referred to an Endo as a rule of thumb. I mean, you're choosing to mess with your hormones in a very profound way! I have thyroid disease and I would think there may be a high chance of later occurring problems with the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, parathyroids and the thyroid itself by the use of hormone blockers and the sudden ensuing drop in female hormones like oestrogen at a critical stage in development. I experienced marked increase in severity of my symptoms when I simply entered the pre-menopausal stage of life and became subject to hormone fluctuations. Absolutely shocking.

@DysonSphere

Thanks for your further posts *@Alex2112* and sorry to imply you didn't have a health need for your surgeries, I apologise I got the wrong end of the stick. And you say you're not brave, but I beg to differ on that!

Re: involvement of endocrinologists. My mouth is actually agape. I truly assumed anyone even seriously considering physically transitioning was referred to an Endo as a rule of thumb. I mean, you're choosing to mess with your hormones in a very profound way! I have thyroid disease and I would think there may be a high chance of later occurring problems with the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, parathyroids and the thyroid itself by the use of hormone blockers and the sudden ensuing drop in female hormones like oestrogen at a critical stage in development. I experienced marked increase in severity of my symptoms when I simply entered the pre-menopausal stage of life and became subject to hormone fluctuations. Absolutely shocking.

Thanks @DysonSphere, no need for any apology, I totally understand my stuff is a trad unusual..

Sadly "trans women" will see GP, who can prescribe low dose of anti androgen and low dose of estrogen, and before surgery they will require letters on mental suitability, and letters of referral confirming "real life" completion. in majority of cases NO endocrinologist is involved. As you have experienced estrogen & even progesterone levels have such an impact on so many elements of life.

I have sadly had so many different hormones to keep me as healthy as possible. long story, .. BUT without an endocrinologist i would've struggled, and she has even been there to help me with proposed surgery options. "trans women" are risking so many long term health risks, - equally "trans men" are facing life long, and life shortening issues.

Thank you for sharing your experiences Alex. I’m really pleased to hear your experiences of NHS care have been positive and wish you all the best for a straightforward surgery and speedy recovery.
I just wanted to say that the vast majority of GPs I know don’t prescribe cross sex hormones for their patients. Many of us are deeply unhappy about being asked to do that. I have prescribed anti- androgen drugs on 2 occasions, both to patients who are male but identify as female and both under the care of GIDs. One of those drugs is commonly prescribed to middle aged men with prostate problems so it’s a drug I am familiar with and prescribe often albeit for a different indication. I don’t prescribe estrogen, testosterone or similar and in the same way because it’s outside my area of competence.

@Faffertea

Thank you for sharing your experiences Alex. I’m really pleased to hear your experiences of NHS care have been positive and wish you all the best for a straightforward surgery and speedy recovery. I just wanted to say that the vast majority of GPs I know don’t prescribe cross sex hormones for their patients. Many of us are deeply unhappy about being asked to do that. I have prescribed anti- androgen drugs on 2 occasions, both to patients who are male but identify as female and both under the care of GIDs. One of those drugs is commonly prescribed to middle aged men with prostate problems so it’s a drug I am familiar with and prescribe often albeit for a different indication. I don’t prescribe estrogen, testosterone or similar and in the same way because it’s outside my area of competence.

Thanks @Faffertea

I appreciate your kind words, and I have utter respect for NHS, we are so fortunate to have such a service.

I am so pleased to read that you ensure your patients presenting with such "gender" issues are under the care of GIDs, and pleased you have restricted your prescribing to anti-androgen. Probably spironolactone, up to 100mg a day.

I fear that GIDs follow a path that does not actually try to deter "trans women" not "trans men" from following a route that will ruin their health, and lead to shorter life expectancy. We have seen the risks at Tavistock, where many NHS staff have had to speak out, and the influence of "mermaids" - with little medical expertise, advising parents et cetera.

I imagine you have seen a rise on patients requesting referrals and hormones?

Thank you for sharing Alex, very powerful posts. I hope your upcoming surgery goes well and you manage to live your life with happiness and comfort.

@VeryLongBeeeeep

Thank you for sharing Alex, very powerful posts. I hope your upcoming surgery goes well and you manage to live your life with happiness and comfort.

Thanks @VeryLongBeeeeep

Appreciate your kind words, i have had ok life, have no issues, have just adapted to body changes, which we all do, especially women.

And we all face hurdle along the way that we would prefer to avoid, but that is what life is about. Sadly as anyone who has experiences of Endometriosis "comfort" is something that was a long lost memory... it must be the curse of female biology, all these "trans women" crave being female in every sense.... I would not wish that on any one.

Years before being diagnosed fully, so many pains, and it does not go away.. i imagine many women suffer in silence, i have added burden.. i have a Y chromosome (XXY) - that lowers my resistance

Regular females have NO idea of living with such a burden! ... u may marry a human with such a disability ... but having one as part o your biology .. what can I say!

@Anovaneway

Most trans men or trans masc people are not interested in phalloplasty.

Those that are have usually googled just about every picture on the planet. That doesn’t deter them if they’re really determined, if anything it strengthens their resolve.

Exactly right @abovaneway

And the results of any such surgery is fairly woeful, being intersex I had been offered various surgeries to improve my "micro penis", as I had lived as a male from age 19 ... synthetic testosterone did assist, but such "phalloplasty" was scary, did not offer much realistic hope.

and now sadly any maleness is dysfunctional, but such is life ...

still able to be close to partner, thankfully she is not heavily reliant upon penetrative sex, and we have found the "feeldoe" ...

"Trans women" are more obessed than "trans men" about the genitalia. from an intersex perspective it amazes me that ANYONE wants their natural genitalia mutilated.

I hope it all goes well for you Alex

@MrsSteveMcDonald

I hope it all goes well for you Alex

Thanks @MrsSteveMcDonald.. appreciate your kind words, am sure it will be fine, was always likely to end this way, NHS has done all it good over 4 decades since age of 9, when first diagnosed.

And this hurdle will tidy stuff up down there... best option to maintain sensations, so am grateful for that. Any "manhood" down there gone! .. but in scheme of things not end of world in any way.

But one of reasons i get fed up with "trans" not appreciating that they have "normal" healthy, fertile bodies of either biological sex and wish it away!

Strange world

Why would feminists or women indeed need to discuss phalloplasty? I would assume no woman is intending to have one. Or is this really about not believing trans men exist? surely its up to trans men what treatment they want to manage their disphoria. Imagine if a woman had to get a man to sign off on any plastic surgery she wanted.
"I'd like breast augmentation please"
"Do you have a letter from your husband?"

@DisgustedofManchester

Why would feminists or women indeed need to discuss phalloplasty? I would assume no woman is intending to have one. Or is this really about not believing trans men exist? surely its up to trans men what treatment they want to manage their disphoria. Imagine if a woman had to get a man to sign off on any plastic surgery she wanted. "I'd like breast augmentation please" "Do you have a letter from your husband?"

Please Disgusted of Manchester, can I have a letter allowing me to discuss phalloplasty.

Thank you for sharing your experience Alex . I hope all goes well for you.

@HermitsLife

Thank you for sharing your experience Alex . I hope all goes well for you.

Thanks @HermitsLife.

Such kind words, I do appreciate it. We have an awesome NHS, with some of worlds best experts, and they can even cope with my messed up biology.

Even giving me "options"... lol, like getting a car sale brochure to select own preferences...lol, a tad bizarre, where to start?

Please Disgusted of Manchester, can I have a letter allowing me to discuss phalloplasty.

It's breathtaking. And some people are absolutely incapable of seeing it.

Disgusted because my feminism includes all female people.

And, so I am equally concerned about women who are subjected to FGM (even if they accept is as a reasonable cultural practice), women having labia-plasty (even if they regard it as a necessary procedure) and trans men having cross sex hormones and phalloplasty.

These issues affect female people.

It is quite clear when you see it, isn't it? How badly some people miss the point.

Feminism is for ALL female people. Even those who don't want it to be for them, now, in this moment. They have benefitted from it in the past from even before birth, and will benefit from it in the future.

We are discussing FEMALE health care which affects a group of females. You know, those people whose bodies are formed around the capacity of production of large gametes, regardless of whether they produce those large gametes, or have in the past, or will do in the future.

Oh, and that more than a few posters on this board have people they love who WILL, no doubt, consider this as an option....